The present invention relates to an image editing apparatus for editing image data, and specifically relates to an image editing apparatus suitable for editing functions of digital copying apparatuses and the like.
Digital copying apparatuses generally have editing functions for printing edited copy images of original documents. Editing processes include, for example, image halftone processes which overlay images, e.g., overlay fine dots over text, image highlighting processes such as black/white reversal (positive/negative reversal), masking processes which erase an image within specified areas, and trimming processes which print only images within specified areas.
Methods of specifying the editing region without coordinate numerical input from an operation panel include methods of region specification using special color marker pens. Copying apparatuses set editing regions by detecting regions circumscribed by marker pens via color discrimination, and setting said discriminated areas as editing regions.
Copying apparatuses are known which are capable of recognizing regions circumscribed by frame lines within a document image as editing regions (e.g., Japanese laid-open Patent Application No. HEI 5-14703).
When editing an image recorded on a document so as to create a new image, there is demand to specify the size of the image, e.g., the size of character. Consider, for example, editing to enlarge small text for easier visibility, and highlighting text of a document header which is larger than other text. Entries made in small text are often color-highlighted or underlined.
Conventionally, it is necessary for a user to select a specific size image (e.g., character and text string) and the region containing said image by marking an area on a document using marker pen, or circumscribing a selected image with frame lines. Therefore, when specified images are scattered in multiple locations, it becomes problematic to specify the editing regions. Furthermore, different editing features cannot be performed for editing regions of different sizes, respectively.
When it is undesirable to deface an original document using the marker pen method, the document first must be copied to create a separate document which can then be defaced using a marking pen. That is, creation of two documents aggravates the problem of editing costs. In methods which specify editing regions by circumscribing a region in a document with frame lines beforehand, the image to be edited must be contained within the frame lines, which is difficult to do when creating a document using screen editing functions of word processors and the like.